Feeding and banding machine



Sept. 14, 1954 J. HALAHAN ET AL 2,688,830

FEEDING AND BANDING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 16, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheetl IIIIIIHII i1 Illllllll F I6. I.

II Im NIIII llli INVENTORS. JOHN HALAHAN THEODOREFARONSQN FLOYD A. LYONA T TORNE) p 1954 J. HALAHAN ET AL FEEDING AND BANDING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Nov. 16, 1949 FIG.7.

INVENTORS JOHN HALAHAN THEODORE F ARONSON BY FL. OYD A. LYON ATT NEYPatented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDING AND BANDIN GMACHINE New York Original application November 16, 1949, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 30, 1951, Serial No. 220,111

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for feedingarticles, particularly fiat folded articles like envelopes, and forforming bands around bunches of articles, and for a combination of saidmechanisms.

A constant source of danger in all automatic machinery is jamming. Thisis particularly true for high speed machines that operate on individualarticles such as envelope making and processing machines.

An object of the invention is to minimize jamming at high speedoperation. This object is attained by combined mechanical and pneumaticmeans for restraining, grasping and transporting the articles held in areservoir.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for applyingbands of predetermined tightness to bunches of envelopes or the likeeither in conjunction with a machine having the feed mechanism of theinvention or separately.

While the invention will be described in connection with an envelopebanding machine it is not limited to that type of machine. The feedmechanism according to the invention will operate satisfactorily on anyarticle that has a flat surface, a folded portion and relatively sharpedges. The banding mechanism will function satisfactorily on articles ofa wide variety. Furthermore, it is possible to use the feeding andhanding mechanisms independently of each other as attachments to othertypes of machines where it may be desired to feed or band articles.

According to the invention the bottom envelope in an envelope reservoiror hopper is held by a movable catch. Pneumatic means is moved to engagethe bottom envelope and, upon its release by the catch, pulls theenvelopes edge away from the next envelope which is then engaged by thecatch. Furthermore, the pneumatic means opens the flap of the envelopeseized by it so as to permit flap engaging picks to remove the envelopefrom the pneumatic means.

The banding mechanism employs a slip clutch which simplifies the gearingof this mechanism to the rest of the machine. Furthermore, in order toinsure that the bands applied around the bunches of envelopes are alwaysof a predetermined tightness, the bands are wrapped around two fingersdelimiting a bunch of envelopes rather than directly around theenvolpes. When the bunch of envelopes is moved, they engage the V bandand pull it off the fingers.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe drawings which may be considered in connection with our priorcopending application, Serial No. 95,076.

Fig. 6 is a section on the lines 66 of Fig. 1 8

showing the banding mechanism;

7 Fig. 7 is a side elevation on the line l--1 of Fig. 1 showing some ofthe driving means for the banding mechanism.

Into a reservoir or feed hopper generally indicated by reference numerall l, is placed a vertical stack of envelopes with their seal flaps downand headed into the machine in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. Theback portion of the bottom envelope E is supported by angle iron I2projecting from a post of a hopper H. The forward edge of the bottomenvelope rests on a pivoted or oscillating catch l3 fastened to shaft [4which is suitably supported in bearings l5 (Fig. 1). As best seen inFig. 2, catch [3 has a lip [6 which supports bottom envelope E atapproximately the center of its front edge and thereby restrains all theenvelopes in the hopper. Mounted on one end of shaft M is an arm I!(Fig. 4) having a cam follower I8 contacting cam I9 of drive shaft 20 tocontrol the rocking back and forth of catch l3.

In the bottom of hopper II there is provided movable pneumatic means inthe form of an oblong sucker plate 2| having air holes 22 (Fig. 4) alongits front edge. One end of a rocker arm 23 is attached to plate 2! andthe other end of the arm is fastened to sleeve 24 mounted on a rigidshaft 25. A spring 26 is connected between a fixed point 21 (Fig. 2) onthe frame of the machine and a projection 23 from sleeve 2 wherebyrocker arm 23 is urged downwardly to make its cam follower 29 contact acam 30 mounted on drive shaft 20. Sucker plate 2! is moved up and intocontact with the front portion of bottom envelope E each time camfollower 29 contacts high point 3! on cam 30. The timing of cams l9 and30 is such that when plate 2! is raised catch 53 is oscillated back andthe sucker plate takes over the support of the bottom envelope. 7

While there is preferably apositive control over catch [3 to move itback and forth, it would be possible to use other envelope restrainingmeans such as a leaf spring which would hold the envelopes whilepermitting the sucker plate to disengage the bottom envelopes from thestack.

Also mounted on drive shaft 20 is another cam 32 that contacts follower33 on arm 34, which is pivoted at point 35 on the back of the casing ofclapper valve 36. Lid 31 of the valve is fastened to the other end ofarm 34 and has a spring 38 fastened between it and the bottom of thevalve which tends to pull the lid closed in the direction of the arrow,Fig. 2.

An air hose 39 may be slipped over projection 49 of valve 36. Threeflexible hoses 4! connect the valve to the bottom of plate 2| at pointsbeneath holes 22. When lid 31 is closed suction is applied to the holesin the plate.

As best seen in Figs. 4 and 5, sucker plate 2| is beveled and has anarcuate shape, its two sides 42, 42' being lower than midpoint 43 andits front edge sloping down as at 44 (Fig. 2). The plate should be ofsubstantially the same length as the envelope, preferably slightlyshorter as shown in Fig. but may be slightly longer as shown in Fig. 5c.When suction is applied at holes 22, the front and sides of envelope Eare sucked down to conform to the shape of plate 2|, the other portionsof the envelope remain level. On account of the suction applied and theshaping of the envelope by the plate 2!, the flap is pulled away fromthe body of the envelope on either side as at 45, 45', providing spacesfor envelope picks 46 to enter, engage the forward edge of the envelopeand remove it from the stack. The width of the plate is preferably lessthan the height of the flap so that when placed against the envelope theraised back area 41 of plate 2| (Fig. 5a) holds the rear portion of theflap against the body of the envelope. This prevents any possibility ofthe picks failing to disengage the envelope because the flap was free tobe opened into the plane of the body of the envelope when engaged by thepicks.

Picks 46 are mounted on sprocket chains 48 and are driven by them topull a-n'envelope horizontally away from the stack and into contact witha conveyor belt 49 traveling at a greater speed than picks 46. Rollers50 hold the envelopes in frictional engagement with the belt which walksthe envelopes off the picks and deposits them one on top of the other ata separating or bunching station generally indicated at numeral 5| (Fig.2).

While the preferred embodiment of the pneumatic means is that of suckerplate 2| and clapper valve 36, it would be possible to use other means.Movable separate pneumatic means could be employed to grasp a flatfolded article adjacent at least one end while supporting the articleintermediate its folded edge in a plane different from that of thepneumatic means. In this manner the fold will be bulged open at at leastone side of the article to permit entry of mechanical means such aspicks 46 for removal of the article from the pneumatic means.

The detailed operation of the feed is as follows: Envelopes are stackedvertically with their flaps down in hopper The midpoint of the frontedge of the lowermost envelope rests on lip it of the oscillating catch|3. Power is turned on and drive shaft 29 starts rotating. When highpoint 3| of cam 39 engages cam follower 29, sucker plate 2| is raised toengage the bottom envelope in the stack. At the same time follower |8 onarm I! contacts the low point in cam l9 and shaft M is rotated to moveoscillating catch |3 back as the sucker plate is raised, Clapper valve36 is also operated at the same time via its arm 34 and cam 32 to closelid 31 so that suction is applied via hoses 4| to holes 22 in the bottomof the plate. Plate 2| contacts the bottom envelope and curls its frontdown; thereupon catch i3 is moved back in to engage the next succeedingenvelope to support the rest of the envelopes. Plate 2| dwells in raisedposition just long enough for the oscillating catch to come back in,there being sufficient clearance between the two oscillating elements.As the plate comes down with the envelope adhering thereto, envelopepicks 46 engage the forward edge of the envelope at the bulges in theside edges. At that point lid 31 of the clapper valve is opened andsuction is stopped. The envelope picks carry the envelope a shortdistance before it is engaged by the conveyor belt 49 which walks theenvelopes off the picks. It will be seen that the picks serve only tojerk the bottom envelope free from the stack of envelopes, the conveyorbelt taking over immediately thereafter.

After the desired number of envelopes has been deposited one on top ofthe other in separating station 5|, where they are divided into bunchescontaining a predetermined number, a ram 52 is operated in the directionof the arrow, Fig. l, and moves a bunch of envelopes into bandingstation between opposite reaches of chain 53 mounted on sprocket wheel54 and idler wheel 55. Envelope clamps 56 are rotated downwardly to holdthe bunch of envelopes during the banding operation. The free end ofpaper tape 51 is fed from a supply of the banding material through aguide and feed mechanism generally indicated at 58 to a tape clamp 59that grasps the end of the tape. Clamp 59 is fastened to chain 53 andextends therefrom so that when the chain is operated the clamp willcarry a length of tape substantially around the center of the bunch ofenvelopes to form a loop therearound. Jaw 60 of clamp 59 is normallyclosed to hold the free end of the tape therein. A depending projection6| from clamp 59 is engaged by the top of a spring loaded plunger 62which is mounted by brackets 63 on a plate 64 fastened to the bottom oftable 65 that supports the mechanism, When plunger 62 contactsprojection 6| (as shown in solid lines, Fig. 6) jaw 60 of the clamp isopened and paper tape 51 is fed therein by mechanism 58. Plunger 62 isconnected by rocker arm 66 and cam follower 61 to a cam 68 mounted oncam shaft 69, which is timed to make the plunger engage projection 6|after clamp 59 has made one revolution on chain 53.

The following mechanism controls the operation of chain 53. A bracket 19on plunger 52 has a pin H which engages an arm 12 of a member 13,pivotally fastened at 14 to plate 64. Another arm 15 of member 13engages a projecting lug stop 16 mounted on sprocket chain 53. A spring11 fastened between the bottom of member 13 and. plate 64 tends normallyto hold arm 15 in engagement with stop 16 and thereby prevent rotationof sprocket chain 53. When plunger 62 is lowered to the position shownin dotted lines, Fig. 6, arms 12 and 15 are rotated downwardly to freestop 16 and permit rotation of chain 53.

Chain 53 is driven by sprocket wheel 54 mounted on one end of a shaft 18which is connected to a slip clutch mechanism on the other end of shaft18 comprising a sprocket wheel 19 (Fig. '7) mounted on a freely rotatingbushing 80 having a plate 8|. Sprocket wheel 19 is continually beingdriven by; a. sprocket chain 82 connected to cam shaft 69. Plate 8| isin frictional engagement witha disk 83 of leather, asbestos or othersuitable material mounted on plate 84 which is keyed to shaft 18. Spring85 extending between plate 96 and nut 86 urges disk 83 against plate 8iso that there is slipping engagement 'therebetween. As soon as arm movesout of engagement with stop 16, chain 53 is free to be rotated until thestop is again engaged, which is after the chain has made one revolution.

In order to apply the bands of tape 51 around a bunch of envelopes withthe desired degree of tightness, the tape is carried around a pair ofbeveled tips or fingers 90 that project from opposite edges ofsupporting plate 9| to define the space in which the envelopes areduring the banding operation. As best seen in Fig. 6 and shown by arrows92, when tape 5! is carried around the bunch of envelopes, the tape doesnot contact the side edges of most of the envelopes, but only thefingers 9B. The band of tape is drawn fairly tightly around fingers 9!}so that the flat sides of the top and bottom envelopes in the bunchcontact the tape. Furthermore, when envelope clamps 56 are lifted theenvelopes spring apart somewhat to engage the tape.

The cutting and stapling of the tape into a band is performed bymechanism diagrammatically illustrated at 93. Just before clamp 59carrying the tape comes back to its rest position, a short portion ofthe tape is overlapped and the stapler operated against the bottom of aplate 94 projecting from supporting piece 9| to secure the overlappedportions to one another. Simultaneous with the completion of stapling,the band surrounding the envelopes is severed from the supply of tape.

When a bunch of envelopes has been banded in the manner above described,they are pushed out of the banding station by the succeeding bunch beingmoved into the station by arm 52. As the banded hunch is moved out ofthe banding station, the band of tape 51 slips off fingers 90 and aroundthe envelopes. The band moves with the envelopes rather than staying onthe fingers because of the frictional engagement between the envelopesand band.

This application is a division of Serial No. 127,6e2, filed November 16,1949.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine for banding a bunch of envelopes, a supply of bandingmaterial, means for grasping the free end of the material, continuouslyoperated means for moving said means for grasping to form a loop ofmaterial around the bunch of envelopes, means operative upon thecompletion of said loop for stopping the movement of said means forgrasping, means for severing the loop of material from the rest of thesupply and securing it in a band around the envelopes, means forreleasing the end of the band grasped by the means for grasping, meansfor feeding the free end of the banding supply to the means for graspingand means operative thereupon for releasing the means for moving thegrasping means.

2. The machine according to claim 1, and in which the articles aresupported within a space defined by two fingers around which the band isformed.

3. In an envelope banding machine having a supply of paper tape, abevelled finger immediately adjacent opposite sides of a bunch ofenvelopes, an endless sprocket'ch'ain, a source of power, a slip clutchconnecting the sprocket chain to said source of power, a clamp having ajaw to receive the free end of the tape, a movable plungerfor contactingthe clamp in one position to open the j aw, a projecting lug fastened tothe chain, a pivotally mounted member, a first arm on the member movableto contact the lug to stop rotation of the chain, a second arm on saidmember, a pin fastened to the plunger movable to contact said second armwhen the plunger is free from the clamp thereby moving the first arm outof engagement with the lug to permit the clamp to carry the tape aroundthe beveled fingers and the bunch of envelopes, means for severing andsecuring to one another the ends of the tape into a band, and meansoperative thereupon for feeding the free end of the tape into the clampaw.

4. Apparatus for banding articles comprising a sprocket chain, means fordriving said chain including a friction clutch coupled therebetween, anarticle supporting platform associated with said chain, a supply ofhanding tape including means for feeding the free end thereof into thepath of said chain, means carried by said chain for gripping the freeend of said tape, a yieldable detent disposed in the path of said chain,means carried by said chain for engaging said detent upon eachrevolution of said gripping means relative to said platform whereby toarrest movement of said chain, cam controlled means for actuating saidgripping means and said detent simultaneously, whereby said tape isdrawn by said chain around said articles in overlapping relation duringone revolution of said gripping means, and independent means forsecuring the overlapped portions of said tape and for severing the tapefrom said supply during cessation of chain movement.

5. Apparatus for banding articles comprising a sprocket chain, means fordriving said chain and a friction clutch coupled therebetween, a bandingstation including a supporting platform for a stack of articlescooperatively associated. with said chain, a supply of banding tapeincluding means for feeding the free end thereof into the path of saidchain, means carried by said chain for gripping the free end of saidtape, a yieldable detent disposed in the path of said chain, meanscarried by said chain for engaging said detent upon each revolution ofsaid gripping means whereby to arrest movement of said chain, camcontrolled means for actuating said gripping means and said detentsimultaneously, whereby said tape is drawn by said chain around saidarticles in overlapping relation during one revolution of said grippingmeans, and independent means for securing the overlapped portions ofsaid tape and for severing the tape from said supply during cessation ofchain movement.

6. Apparatus for banding a plurality of stacked envelopes comprising asprocket chain, means for driving said chain including a friction clutchcoupled therebetween, a banding station including supporting platformfor said envelopes cooperatively associated with the lower reach of saidchain, a supply of banding tape including means for feeding the free endthereof into the path of said chain, means secured to said chain forgripping the free end of said tape, a yieldable detent disposed in thepath of said chain, means secured to said chain in advance of saidgripping means for engaging said detent upon return of said grippingmeans to said platform whereby to arrest movement of said chain againstthe action of said clutch, reciprocable means adapted for actuating saidgripping means and said detent simultaneously whereby said chainoperates to draw said tape around said envelopes in overlapping relationin one revolution of said gripping means, cam means for actuating saidreciprocable means in timed relation with each revolution of saidgripping means relative to said platform, and independent means forsecuring 1O the overlapped portions of said tape and for severing thetape from said supply during cessation of chain movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,262,232 Harvey Nov. 11, 1941 2,471,304 Bunn May 24, 1949

